Adjustment strap for surgical garments and the like



July 12, 1949. J. R. DAWSON ADJUSTMENT STRAP FOR SURGICAL GARMENTS ANDTHE LIKE Filed Sept. 28, 1946 Patented July 12, 1949 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE ADJUSTMENT STRAP FOR SURGICAL GARMENTS AND THE LIKEporation of Michigan Application September 28, 1946, Serial No. 700,066

2 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to improvements in garments, beingparticularly concerned with an improved adjustment construction for suchtypes of garment as surgical supports, corsets, foundation garments,girdles, supporting belts and the like.

One of the objects of the invention is to provid an impro ed. adjus meno arment sup.- ports of the type described of a decidedly masculineconstruction and for that reason especially adapt d io us con o h icalsuppo ts, suppo tin be t b c n e like Worn by men.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved adjustmenttake-up structure for garments cf the type described having adequatemechanical advantage for ease of adjustment and being constructed offiat webbing material pres ntine a relat ve y o id up o t n s a in thear a of a j tment- A still further object of the invention is to providean adjustment for garments of the type described consisting of webbingmembers attached to one edge of an adjustment area and having a runningloop connection at the oppo site ends of the adjustment area and beingre-- turned bent; the-re being one or more groups of looped and singlestrips -o-f Webbing constructed and arranged to present a substantiallysolid adjustable backing across the adjustment area, 1

the take-up upon the Webbing being in directly opposed relation.

These and other objects and advantages residing in the specificconstruction and the arrangement and combination of the component partsgoing into the garment and its adjustment will be more fully appreciatedfrom a consideration of the following specifi ation a th rncnded claims.

In the drawing, Where a single embodiment .01 the invention isshown forthe purpose of illustration,

Fig. I shows a surgical support for the abdomen embodying the principlesof the present invention, the garment being shown spread out into aplane, and

Fig. II is a fragmentary view of the garment shown in Fig. I with theadjustment structure opened up and released for purposes ofillustration.

The garment I0, in which the principles of the present invention havebeen embodied, com prises a pair of sections l2 and [4, which areadapted to embrace the body of the wearer in the abdominal region. Frontedge portions [6 2 and it are provided with suitable snaps, hooks orother type of fasteners for removably con-- meeting the sections l2 andM together at the front of the garment.

The adjustment areaof the garment I is located between the back. edgeportions 20 and 22 of the sections l2 and M respectively. The gapbetween the back edge portions 20 and 22 defining the adjustment area isconventionally controlled. and adjusted through suitable lacings orother type of adjustable take-up structure.

According to the present invention, a substantially solid adjustablesupporting surface has been provided across the area of adjustment beteen. the back edges 2%! and 22 by attaching ole strips of webbing to theedges 20 and 22. Certain strips of the webbing are attached at both endsto the same back edge to form a loop while other strips of webbing areattached at one end to the back edges 20 and 22. As shown the strip .offlexible webbing 24 is attached at its opposite ends 26 and 28 to theedge 20 after being passed through the elongated guides 30 and 32attached to the edge 22 as Well as through the elongated guide portion34 of the adjustment buckle 35. It will be understood that the .ip 24has a running connection with each of the guides 30, 32 and 34.

The webbing 38 has one end permanently attached to the adjustment buckle40, and its oppo site end A2 is connected to the edge 22 between theguides at and 32. The intermediate portion 44 of the webbing 38 isreturned bent through the elongated guide 46 attached to the edge 20with which it has a running connection. It should be noted that theguide 46 is located between the guides 39 and 32. Also, it is to be.observed that the Webbing 38 is returned bent through the area ofadjustment between the vert a s a in of the end and .28 c th bing 245.This arrangement not only provides a relatively solid supporting surfacein the area of adjustment between the edges 20 and 22, but it furtherlocates the adjustment buckles 36 and 40 in direct opposed relation withthe result that the take-up on the adjustment straps 46 and 40 is in adirect line. It will be understood that the adjustment straps 46 and 4Bare of conventional construction, being attached to the garment at 50with the free end 52 having a running connection over the bar 54 of thebuckles 36 and 40, and being returned bent beneath the ripping bar 56and passed through the loop 58 to prevent dangling. In Fig. II theadjustment strap 46 has been removed from the buckle 36 for purposes ofillustration.

Depending upon the vertical extent of the adjustment area between theedges 20 and 22, the arrangement of the webbings 24 and 38 may consistsolely of the structure just described or may be duplicated one or moretimes; With a garment of the width shown in Fig. I, two sets of stripshave been employed. The lower set consisting of the webbing 60 and 62may be identical to the construction just described with the exceptionthat the webbing 60 which corresponds to the webbing 24 is attached to\the opposite edge from the webbing 24, While the webbing 62 whichcorresponds to webbing 38 is attached to the opposite edge from thewebbing 33. This reversed location is also true with respect to theelongated guides 64 and 66 through which the webbing 60 has a runningconnection as well as with respect to the elongated guides 68 throughwhich the webbing 62 has its running connec tion.

To adjust the garment l0 on the body, with the front edges l6 and I8secured together, the wearer pulls in the opposite direction upon thefree end 52 of the adjustment straps 46 and 48. This results in thebuckles 36 and 40 being drawn along the surface of the garment ID inopposite directions. The resulting take-up on the V portion of thewebbing 24 and the single portion of the Webbing 33 will draw the backedges 29 and 22 toward each other to reduce the spacing or gap inbetween. As will be readily appreciated, the flat, substantiallyhorizontal and vertically spaced portions of the webbing 24 extendingbetween the edge 20 and the guides 30 and 32 in conjunction with thesubstantial horizontal portions of the strap 38 extending between theedge 22 and the guide 46, will present an extremely confortable,relatively solid supporting surface across the adjustable area betweenthe edges 20 and 22. A similar situation will exist betweencorresponding portions of the lower set of adjustment membersconstituted by the webbing 60 and 1 62. As heretofore stated, thearrangement is such that the take-up pull upon the adjustment straps 46and 48 is in the same line so that the portion of the garment l 0 beingregulated is uniformly and smoothly adjusted at right angles to thespinal column.

The illustrated arrangement also has an advantage of confining theadjustment structure substantially at the surface of the garment withthe greater portion thereof actually located in the plane of thesections l2 and M with the result that a very smooth foundation ispresented to the outer wearing apparel.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tocover by Letters Patent 1. Adjustment straps for surgical garments andthe like having a pair of normally spaced apart edge portions definingan adjustment gap area therebetween, comprising a strip of flexiblewebbing looped and attached at each of its ends to one edge portionadjacent to the top thereof and with the attached ends thereof spacedapart, a strip of flexible Webbing looped and attached at each of itsends to the other edge portion adjacent to the bottom thereof and withthe attached ends spaced apart, elongated guides carried by the oppositeedge portions through which the looped tape of the opposite portion isextended and is then folded back to provide substantially straight runsof the attached ends of the looped tapes across the adjustment gap area,other elongated guides at the edge portions between the attached ends ofthe looped tapes, straight tapes attached to. each edge between thefirst mentioned guides and extending through the other guides and thenfolded back, and means exerting pull on the folded back portions of thelooped and the straight tapes.

2. Adjustment straps for surgical garments and the like having a pair ofnormally spaced apart edge portions defining an adjustment gap areatherebetweemcomprising a strip of flexible webbing looped and attachedat each of its ends to one edge portion adjacent to the top thereof andwith the attached ends thereof spaced apart, a strip of flexible webbinglooped and attached at each of its ends to the other edge portionadjacent to the bottom thereof and with the attached ends spaced apart,elongated guides carried. by the opposite edge portions through whichthe looped tape of the opposite portion is extended and is then foldedback to provide substantially straight runs of the attached ends of thelooped tapes across the adjustment gap area, other elongated guides atthe edge portions between the attached ends of the looped tapes,straight tapes attached to each edge between the first mentioned guidesand extending through the other guides and then folded back, the severalstraight runs of the looped and the straight tape serving tosubstantially fill across and close the adjustment gaps, adjustmentstraps, and means connecting the adjustment straps with the looped andthe straight tapes in their folded back portions.

JESSE R. DAWSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,604,076 Risselt Oct. 19, 19261,939,811 Guenther Dec. 19, 1933 1,974,283 Kendrick Sept. 18, 19342,117,399 Fritsch May 17, 1938

